The Venus Transformation Contest VT19 is quickly approaching. Many of us are getting a head start with the Venus Workouts in a 12 week workout challenge starting this week. We will just roll into the new year getting done what needs to get done.

Ever wonder why the guys can do this so much easier?

One of the Venus ladies in the Workout Challenge group had a question about her son the other day. Her son Mikey needs to lose weight and is doing the Venus workouts with her (which is actually great for the guys too!). Anyway, she wanted to know her son’s maintenance calories so I ran them on the Adonis calculator.

Holy freakin maintenance calories! Maintenance Calories: 3145 cals. Can any of us even imagine!!! Notice that he can eat 1200 and it won’t hurt his hormones so much. Not fair!! At the same time, guys can binge too so if he does that bumping it up to anything under maintenance consistently is the WIN just like us females.

NOW, does anyone notice the room of margin for error for calories? THIS IS WHY I came up with the “Calorie tightrope” we walk. A serving of something here are there can make or break a deficit for us. A freakin DAY OF OUR MAINTENANCE can make or break the deficit for this 25 year young 6 foot 5 male. NOT FAIR!!! We can scream it to the mountain tops how unfair it is, but it will not take away the excess fat on your body. Knuckle down and roll up your sleeves if you want it!! DANG, Let’s do this anyway!

Venus Next Year (2017) Contest schedule:

VT19: January 16 to April 10

VT20: May 15 to August 7

VT21: August 28 to November 20

And this is where you signup once you get a Venus login (but only during the dates above) JOIN the CONTEST.

After 35 years of battling with food and exercise I have won! Venus has helped me conquer this lifelong struggle which I never thought was possible. Due to the Venus program I’m healthier, happier and have a new confidence that permeates everything!

I’ve been more successful at work, and my relationships with friends and my family have improved. This is because I have put my health first. I have an extremely stressful full -time job that requires travel. I’m married and have 3 young boys, ages 12, 9 and 7. There are so many distractions and excuses to not take care of myself and for so long I gave into them.

Once I decided that my health and how I feel about myself come first, I am happier, I’m centered which benefits everyone around me. I started this journey approximately 28 weeks ago and I KNOW that I will continue it for the rest of my life. I lost 20 lbs and 21.5 inches, I still can’t believe how much my body has changed!

I am 46 and when I started Venus I was fatigued by diet and exercise. I wasn’t sure if I could do it, if I could try again. Something changed when I heard John’s sister’s story, I was moved and I thought maybe I can do this. I decided with conviction that I would fully commit one last time, I would go all in! This time was going to be different. I took a chance and said I’m going to follow this program without question. I thought what’s the worst thing that can happen…I won’t lose weight? I said to myself, no excuses, no turning back and let’s see.

Not only did I lose weight, which in the end, doesn’t matter so much to me, I changed my body and I changed the way I eat. I didn’t have to give up food that I enjoy, I mean NOTHING! What a revelation! I modified and measured and planned and was careful. I was shocked at how well I did during the first 12 weeks and that I didn’t feel deprived at all.

I was so excited I wanted to continue my journey and I’ve almost completed the Final Phase program. I utilized all the elements of the program; the community, podcasts, diet suggestions, and the work-outs. It’s perfect if you like a program that has a variety of ways to connect with the information and the sponsors. The Community was an amazing outlet and my fellow Venus sisters and coaches supported me. Knowing they were there, that I could check in every day helped me feel less alone and motivated.

Due to the technology, you can access Venus anywhere, anytime and it TRULY changed my life. I have lost and gained weight so many times in my life I really can’t count. I’ve tried every program on the planet, Weight Watchers, Diet Center (old..i know), Body for Life, Detoxes, South Beach, Zone, the list goes on and on. I’ve even had a personal trainer. While some things worked here and there, nothing was sustainable. Several factors contributed to my success on this program, the single most important for me was that my relationship with food changed.

Venus allowed me to think about food and exercise in a completely different way. I have always enjoyed working out but I was one of those people who thought cardio was the only way and I had not done much weight training.

Now, I sincerely look forward to weight training and the impact it has on the body is FANTASTIC! I’ve slowly incorporated cardio back into my life but now it’s just for enjoyment, it’s not about needing to burn 100’s of calories. I’ve learned so much from Venus about myself and about the workings of the human body.

I am no longer a slave to the scale, it does NOT define me. I don’t mind feeling hungry, in fact I like it now. My body continues to change and I see muscle definition that was NEVER there before! I know that I will never go back to my old ways. I know this because throughout the last 6 months, I’ve been tested.

I’ve had bad days, I’ve had a week or two that I didn’t work out at all. Nothing happened! I didn’t completely fall apart, I didn’t unwind, and I just got back to handling my food and work outs. Because of Venus I have the tools to manage my weight and food.

I love the support and friendship of the community, there are so many resources available to aid in your success. You just have to want it, and before you know , you will have a new sculpted body that others envy.

Just imagine and take the leap, if I can do it, ANYONE can!!

VT18 is winding down and we at the Venus Factor want to see you succeed. I’ll be making a new contest schedule for next year soon. The next contest will be in Mid January 2017. Stay tuned for updates.

The deadline for VT18 is midnight Eastern Time November 21st. Enter your final pictures HERE.

Dieting for weight loss is hard for everyone so don’t feel alone. It will require some sacrifice. No one achieves their goal without hard work and some sacrifices.

If you want help with the last few weeks of the Venus contest feel free to join my Venus Factor Contest Prep Facebook Group. I will help you every step of the way. Any Venus contest competitor is welcome to join.

Listen to what Teresa had to say in her interview, she is an absolute pleasure, or save the podcast for later:

Lisa had a common struggle. That last 10 pounds or so. It seems so impossible, but really it’s just the slowest. This is where the rubber hits the road regarding trusting the process.

Many of you have a lot of weight to lose, that’s okay! The journey teaches you how to deal with the last 10 pounds for the rest of your life. For many the last 10 pounds is actually part of maintaining. But it’s the hardest part alone from just “getting started”. It is slow and the body weight scale is pretty much useless except for about checking about every 8 weeks or so.

Life happens, and you will repeat the cycle many times. That’s why it’s a lifestyle not a diet. That’s why it is important to learn sustainable practices.

I’ve had the absolute pleasure of watching Lisa on social media and learn the lifestyle, trust the process, and finally win her goal!

Here’s what Lisa has to say in her own words:

My experience with the Venus Factor System had been amazing! It has been what I’ve been looking for for so many years. My main objective when I joined the Venus Index Transformation contest was mainly to keep myself accountable. I knew deep down I needed to step out of my comfort zone (submitting pictures) to achieve my goals. I needed a proven program and I got that with the Venus Index system.

I started the Venus Index workouts hoping to lose those 10 pounds, lose inches, gain strength and self confidence. I really wanted to change the shape of my 54 year old physique that was heading in the direction I wasn’t fond of, lol!

Last year I had joined a local running club and committed to the Iron runner 15 race series. I focused totally on running and neglected the weight training. I made the mistake thinking I didn’t need to weight train anymore and that cardio was enough.

I learned that in fact I was really doing too much cardio and needed to get back to weight training.

The program has also taught me so much about nutrition. For example the amount of protein I needed blew my mind, I had no idea!

Lisa is pretty happy with her Venus life!

I learned that if you have the right tools and get your mind right you can achieve anything. Everyday does not have to be the same.

Nobody ever said it would be easy, but the plan is simple. Work it everyday, tweak it for you, never give up, trust the process!

I had to tell myself these things daily. I’m so happy to say I was able to achieve a 10.8 pound weight loss and a total of 9 inches overall. I’m also inside my ideal metrics, but at the high end. I’m a short person so the changes are slow and small.

I love the Venus Index system! I’m not quite where I want to be yet, but I know this program is one in which I can follow forever.

Tara is one of our amazing success stories! And her story is not over yet.

We all have a story. We all have struggles. And the journey continues for all of us as we reach our goals and learn to live our lives. It is not easy so there is no reason to be jealous or feel bad when you see others succeed. I know it tends to make us all feel just a little insecure.

So just KNOW, that it is never easy for anyone. Everyone has their battles you know nothing about. No one is ever perfect at this game, they just learn to never give up.

Even you. You just need to keep going and never give up!

One of our Venus Veteran’s, Pam, was Tara’s local trainer and it’s how Tara learned about Venus. So the three of us (Pam, Tara, and I) decided to get together to put Tara’s story in a video and podcast (audio podcast is below).

Tara (in blue), and Pam (in pink) and I decided to get together to document Tara’s success story.

Here’s what Tara wrote in her own words:

I have been on a long weight loss journey. In 2013 I decided to make a change. Weighing 211#’s, and not wanting to go up another pant size, I started eating clean and biking.

It worked out well with a weight loss of 40#. With that, I got comfortable and a little more lazy with my food choices.

However, I kept up the cycling a few days a week. By January of this year, I had put on a few pounds. Enough to make me uncomfortable.

I joined a weight loss challenge. I had some success with that, but again bounced back to the uncomfortable range after a necessary surgery.

So, with some input from friends, I looked into the Venus Program.

I’m a ‘stay at home’ mom, so the 3 day a week workouts seemed reasonable. I joined a gym and made my workout schedule with every intention of fulfilling it.

One of these days I will see the abs that are hiding from me now. I know they’re there and they’re strong, yet they still hide.

The ever changing workouts keep me from getting bored and help me to feel my progress in strength.

This is so MOTIVATING!!

I’m proud of my accomplishments over the past 12 weeks and can’t wait to continue along this journey.

-Tara

And the video interview in Pam’s beautiful California backyard:

You can listen to the audio podcast below or download it for later:

Tara is very happy and enjoying her new empowered life!

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I’m on the last week before I hit my one year anniversary of doing Venus. As some of you may know, I am planning to surprise my dad this weekend for his birthday. I have not seen him since May of last year, two months after I started. The picture on the right is the jumpsuit I bought to wear for the big “reveal” to my dad. The pic on the left is from 2009, when I was at my heaviest. I’ve come a long way baby, and can’t wait for my dad to see the changes!!
I think the big reveal to my dad was very successful. I stood there for about 30 seconds before he turned around. My step mom and sister both had their phones going to record, but my step mom mouthed the words “you look great” while dad was piddling with his phone!

I have been stuck for the last month, bouncing between 171 and 172. Finally this weekend, I broke through to the 160s!!! 169.6, to be exact, but it’s another milestone on this journey!!!

What is truly amazing to me is to think back, to 2010 actually, when I started another weight loss program. At the time I started, I weighed 263#. I did that program for about a year, but because of the monthly expense, I quit. I had hit the 50# mark with that program, but gained back about 20 pounds before starting Venus. To think that since that time I have lost almost 100# is simply AMAZING! That’s like a whole other person!!!

Kath got out of her health slump and is enjoying the Venus Golden Life now.

What is maintaining the Venus Ideal like?

Kath, like many of us, found that in some ways maintaining is harder than the initial fat loss. Changes in the body are very slow, it feels like it isn’t working sometimes, and people around don’t understand the need to stay disciplined with food in order to keep what you achieved.

She reached her goal and has maintained for two years now. She proved it can be done, and she is enjoying her health and living life to it’s fullest now.

Kath has new goals to set personal records with running now. It’s something she really enjoys with her husband and friends.

Kath absolutely loves the Venus workouts and they are great cross training for the running she loves.

Kath really struggled with getting this far after her battle with breast cancer. She is an amazing and strong woman who does not take her health for granted.

Meet Kath and listen to her story

If you have achieved your Venus goal and maintained for two years or more and have a story to tell, and want to share it to help others, feel free to email me.

Brenda made a transformation in her life. Through the Venus program she learned how easy it is to use various health issues as an excuse. No matter what the adversity, it still always comes down to the amount of food we consume.

It’s kind of like we don’t want to face the elephant in the room.

It’s hard.

It’s not fun.

It does not seem fair.

I have been over weight pretty much my entire life. I have previously dropped 87lbs, and maintained for about five years. However, over the last two years it has slowly crept up 10 pounds a year, even with an active attempt by me trying to lose weight.

I had been keeping up my exercise routine, six days a week, mainly cardio, with some weights, as well as my diet routine, just as before. Although my diet was not consistent, when I was having difficulty loosing I started taking the advice of others, like “you’re not eating enough”, which by their standards I probably was not, but eating less…eating more nothing was working.

I was also diagnosed 2 ½ years ago with a chronic medical condition which requires a daily medicine. I blamed the gain and inability to lose weight on the meds as it was the only thing that had really changed in my life.

I purchased the Venus program about a year before and Loved the workouts; however, I kind of skimmed the nutrition portion. At some point I decided to check in with the forum and it became apparent the Veteran Venus’ would not let the meds be an excuse, and it appeared nutrition was the key.

So I decided to put Venus to the test, this time trying the nutrition and weight lifting together. Low and behold the last year of weight gain was taken off in these 12 weeks, and my clothes fit again!

I may have not lost a large amount of weight in the 12 weeks, and will keep going to drop the remaining pounds, but I consider this a win in a big way. I not only didn’t gain, but I lost which is something I was unable to do for two years.

If you work the whole program it will work for you!

– Brenda

Brenda loves the outdoors and being healthier now!

And here is more of Brenda’s story:

I have been on this journey for a very long time. I have always been overweight, but it peaked in April 2010. After seeing the pictures from our family cruise I put a stop to it and lost 90lbs by January 2011. I did this through hard work using another program and cardio, lots of cardio.

I have maintained the weight within 20lbs for the last five years. However, four years ago I was going through a divorce; lost my dad and my hero. Four months later I was diagnosed with MS. I immediately started treatment,which consisted of daily shots. Initially, I was angry because I had just got my life back health wise, and now the threat of losing my mobility was real.

How can that be fair?

My attitude adjusted very quickly and I said “No, I got my health back so I would have the strength to fight this disease.” As luck would have it though I started slowly gaining weight consistently over the last two years about 10lbs each Dr. visit. I blamed the new medicine, although that side effect was not listed, what else could it possibly be?

I was panicking with the weight creeping. I was trying everything adding weights, eating less, eating more, upping the cardio you name I was trying it. Here steps in the ladies in the Venus forum, and the podcasts.

I didn’t write or ask questions just went through the forum regarding medications. I learned very quickly a lot of these ladies were on medications, and they would not let that be used as an excuse. Roberta described her battles with medications, she and the others preached it’s the calories period.

I found this to be a no nonsense group, but the most supportive group I have seen. I have been in other groups, and they can get petty or have poor me parties. These ladies are not perfect, but the difference is they taken ownership and get back to business. It is an inspiring group to say the least, and one I am happily a participant in now.

I had bought the program about a year ago and started the workouts, which I loved, but still not losing the weight. The forum was claiming the diet was the key so I started the competition with the 12 week nutrition program, just to see if anything really happens in 12 weeks.

It worked, I could feel it, but still didn’t believe it showed. I submitted my final pictures, and was pleased to see the difference 12 weeks makes. It is still not rapid for me, but the scale is lower than it has been in a year so that is a big win in my book!!

The workouts have completely changed my shape which makes me smile. I was not happy with my shape even with the prior weight loss, and honestly I was floundering with my weight lifting programs.

Truthfully I’m not working out half as much as I was with all the cardio. Venus works, it is a nutrition and workout program that just makes sense. I feel the other programs are starter programs, Venus is for when you mature and take responsibility to live your best life, by the controlling stumble forward.

Thanks for the wonderful program John and Brad,and thanks to all those wonderful ladies in the forum.

-Brenda

I love Brenda’s smile and her Moment of Clarity!

You can find Brenda in our online forum. Listen to what she has to say in the Podcast Interview below, or download it to listen to later:

Heather at one of her heaviest weights before finding Venus and after, WOW!

Heather placed in our recent VT15 Venus Transformation Contest.

She did a phenomenal job and her results display the hard work she put in. Her transformation stretches out further than this 12 week period though, she has lost over 30 lbs using Venus!

Heather before starting Venus in 2015 and after this 12 week contest, unbelievable!

Here is what Heather had to say in her own words:

My experience with Venus has been amazing. My life long search for the program that works is finally over. I have found it and I am hooked. I am a 47 year old woman with a wonderful husband and 4 terrific grown children. However I was struggling with self-image problems, low self-esteem and was just unhappy inside. Like many other Venus ladies, I tried every diet program out there, and purchased several exercise DVD programs. I was successful in my goal of losing weight but as soon as I hit a certain point the motivation to stick with it disappeared and the weight started to climb back up. I had convinced myself that I was just meant to be overweight and my genetic chemistry was preventing me from being slim. Then in March of 2015 I found Venus on Facebook. I listened to John’s story about his sister and how he developed something that was specific to women who battle with this issue. In my first 12 weeks on Venus I lost 20 pounds and 24 inches off my body. One thing I had never done in previous weight loss efforts was to combine the diet and the lifting. I had done both separately thinking it was enough by itself. The other aspect of Venus that was hugely motivating for me was the all the information I got through the podcasts and blog posts. I love, love, love John and Brad’s podcasts. I listened to them whenever I could. They blasted away every myth I grew up believing, every misconception that I had adopted just because a fitness professional said it and I was finally able to break away from all the bad information that I had stored in my head and replaced with the facts that John and Brad’s research had taught me. So after my first 12 weeks of the Venus program, it was May and summer was coming. I decided that I would take a break from actively losing, and applied the same principles of the program but eat at maintenance most days and at a deficit 2 days each week. As August approached I had maintained my 20 pound weight loss. I was ecstatic. I had never ever done that. In the past as soon as I stopped following the weight loss program, instantly the weight started creeping back up. This was when I decided that I would enter the contest to further motivate me to continue my journey. Here I am today at the end of the contest and I am more motivated than ever to continue my journey to get to my ideal Venus Body. I am not there yet but I am loving my new body, my new outlook on life, my new self-confidence. Not just my body changed, but my life changed…and people have noticed. This journey has been amazing and I am so grateful for John, Brad, Liss, and Roberta and all the ladies on the forum for their constant efforts to encourage us, educate us and provide effective tools for every woman to utilize in reaching their fitness goals. Thank you all.

Heather’s Metrics

Weight

Height

Waist

Shoulders

Hips

Before

140 lb

62 in

31.5 in

41.7 in

37 in

After

131 lb

62 in

29 in

38.8 in

36 in

Deltas

-9 lb

0 in

-2.5 in

-3 in

-1 in

Heather is a beautiful Venus! Nothing can stop her now!

Heather’s AWESOME Home Gym

Listen to Heather’s interview with Liss below, or download it for later:

Are You a Venus Endurance Athlete?

This past week has been one of remembering to be thankful. You must think about what it is for which you are grateful, and give thanks for it. That’s the interesting thing about giving thanks – it is very much an intentional act. It’s a lot like being a Venus. When we become a Venus, we have to go about it with a fair amount of intention. We choose to make changes.

I thought a bit about all these changes I’ve been making. Eating differently, exercising differently, thinking differently…it’s a lot of “differentlys” in a relatively short period of time. That can be something of a stressor, both physically and mentally.

I have had great success with Venus thus far – but my fat loss is the “long haul” sort. At the start of my Venus journey, my total weight loss goal put me at 105 pounds to lose. The 25.5 lbs I’ve lost with Venus so far is great! But I have 79.5 more pounds to go. It’s just a process, after all, but the REALITY is, it’s going to take me awhile.

It’s not going to happen in 12 weeks like it will for some ladies. Or 24 weeks or 36 or maybe even 48 or longer…I am having to mentally prepare myself for a journey that is going to require I have my head in the game for a bit before I’ve lost my optimal amount of fat. This isn’t a bad thing. Or a good thing, for that matter. It’s just what it is.

As usual, it got me thinking in comparisons. And I compare this journey to being an endurance athlete. Because like an endurance athlete, to DO this, we all have to be self-motivated, we have to be able to see the Big Picture, we need a team (family, friends, the Venus community), and we have to endure with a little panache.

Endurance athletes share other things in common with the ladies of Venus who are “In it to Win it!”

You focus on cumulative gains: Just like endurance athletes can’t complete a marathon in one day, neither can you lose all your fat in one fell swoop. You do it little by little, weights and measures. Week by week you follow the plan and you trust the process. As Coach Liss has said on Venus, JOT, or Just One Thing…you just do one thing at a time, day by day.

It’s you against yourself: You’re not doing this “against” anybody else. Your results are yours. And no one else’s. We are our worst enemy; once we figure that out, we face our own fears, our own constraints, our own worries. We face them and we conquer them, and that’s how we win. As Coach Roberta likes to say, celebrate each victory, every time!

You push your limits: It’s known that the reason endurance athletics is so hard is that it forces you to push yourself. Honestly, though, following an eating protocol and exercise program is the easy part. The hard part is the mindset it takes to make it to the end. Pushing your mental limits is where the real magic happens.

You help others: This isn’t totally necessary, I mean, you can succeed anyway without helping anyone along the way. But on Venus, we see again and again that those who reach out to others, over the long haul, just do better with their on weight loss and maintenance. You give tips or you share recipes. You encourage and support.

The more you sweat in training, the easier it is to race: I liken this to fat loss phase versus maintenance phase. If you put in the hard, grunty work to understand how to lose fat and build muscle during fat loss phase, when it is time to maintain, you will win that “race” because maintenance is for the rest of your life. Train yourself. And you’ll know how to race.

You will finish: And this is really it. You never quit. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, how often you stumble, how many times you have to buy new jeans, you will finish. This is yours and yours alone to finish. No one can do it for you.

Laura placed in our recent VT14 Venus Transformation Contest.

She did a phenomenal job and her results display the hard work she put in. In 12 short weeks, she transformed losing 10 pounds of fat and 1.5″ from her waist!

Laura before Venus and 12 short weeks after! WOW!

Here is what Laura had to say in her own words

I’m a wife and a full time home mother of two little ones. I started to join the Venus work out class not to long ago because I was trying to find the work out class that I like in all the aspects. In a short time started to love it! Later our Venus instructor told me about to join the challenge and I thought it was not for me and I said to many excuses to myself but I decided to join. I made it trough and I gain so much more than I though. I might not did my full goals but I gain more confidence in my self and more self-steem. I’m so glad that I did it and I definitely will go for more.

Laura made a transformation in 12 short weeks, but she did almost not take the final pics to submit. She did not think she had changed that much! Listen to her podcast at the bottom for more details and her exciting news!